Chapter 5: Invisible Touch

When Thomas awoke he didn't have the slightest clue as to where he was, why he was so cold or why there was something warm under his cheek. He opened his eyes. Late morning sunlight filtered through the partially drawn black curtain and gave some illumination to the room. Sera was asleep on his back, one arm hung over the edge of the bed, the fingers of the other hand resting on his hip. Thomas had fallen asleep with his back to the wall, his head pillowed on Sera's shoulder. Carefully so as not to wake his sleeping companion Thomas shuffled down the bed and escaped from the room.

Now he had a little more time to look at things as he rubbed sleep from his eyes and dragged a hand through his sticking up hair. Apart from the stereo, which was still on though the CD had finished long before, the room contained a two-seater sofa, an easy chair, and a coffee table piled high with books. Two tall cases, one of CD's the other of DVD's. A slim and shiny black laptop lay closed on top of the sofa. Impressed, but desperately in need of a drink, Thomas went to the sink, located a glass on the draining board and began a small search of Sera's fridge. He poured himself a glass of orange juice then refilled the glass and set it by the bed next to Sera.

He stood in front of the little mirror in the bathroom and looked at himself. With careful fingers he prodded gingerly at his cut lip and yawning decided he needed a shower. He hoped Sera wouldn't mind too much as he switched on the hot water and stepped into the narrow curtained cubicle. He didn't feel as he had in the shower on Thursday and his scrubbing was not the same. Thomas stood under the jet and soaked his hair through, washing the evidence of their actions from his skin. Standing at the door to the bedroom with a towel wrapped around his hips he watched Sera sleep. His friend was likely to wake up with a stiff shoulder from where Thomas had been using it as a pillow. The scene was hardly romantic, what with the residue of Thomas's orgasm still spattered across Sera's dark abdomen, but Thomas could get over how beautiful he looked. Sera's face was turned sideway, tendrils of black hair falling across his face. Thomas could almost see a glow around him, like some wayward angel lying there in that bed. He drew a sheet up over the sleeping form, took his clothes and headed into the main room. Thomas dressed quickly, recovered his phone from the floor, dragged his fingers through his hair and left in silence. Before he went he tucked a slip of paper bearing his phone number into Sera's hand.

On the bus on the way home he phoned his mother. It was eleven o'clock by then and she was furious. Thomas explained that he'd gone clubbing with friends and gone to crash at one of their houses. She seemed satisfied with his explanation, though she was annoyed that he hadn't called her earlier, and explained that they had gone out that morning to visit family and wouldn't be back until five. Thomas finished up the conversation and hung up just as he got off the bus.

At home his house seemed overly cluttered, what with the life possessions of two adults and a teenage boy. Thomas used the feeling to have a good clear out of his room, at least his parents would be pleased when they saw it neat for a change. What with the sun and everything, Thomas opened all the windows, stuck the first CD of the Genesis platinum collection on the stereo in the lounge, cranked up the volume a little and sung along quietly with Phil Collins.